I live in a place that has a goodly amount of German-descended folks in the rural population, so occasionally when I’m out cruising along back roads I’ll pass the occasional barn with a hex sign on it. Although hex signs are not associated with modern Wicca, or even ancient Pagan religions, they are certainly worth taking note of, because they’re a really cool and artistic form of folk magic. Found mostly in the Pennsylvania Dutch country, hex signs — also called barn stars — are symbols painted on homes, cradles, and barns for a variety of magical purposes. The tradition originated in Germany and Switzerland. During the waves of emigration…